Autoglym has recently released a new series, almost as a catch up to the detailing world. I’ve mentioned before that they’re an established brand dare I say in the car washing niche, but have recently dipped their toes into the detailing world. They’re slowly evolving into the car detailing community away from the basic washing of cars. The great thing about this three-stage release from Autoglym is they’re a brand that you can trust. So if you were on the fence regarding whether or not to try snow foam/sealing products (fearing it could damage your paintwork for example) – rest assured Autoglym have done all the testing. There can however be a slightly higher price to pay for this. If this puts your mind at rest (I know the feeling) then perhaps that little bit extra isn’t all that big of a deal.
We’re an affiliate. We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, we may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. If you use our links, thank you for your support. We really appreciate it!
How do you use Autoglym Polar?
The Autoglym Polar Series consists of three categories;
- Pre Wash: Autoglym Polar Blast
- Wash: Autoglym Polar Wash
- Post Wash: Autoglym Polar Seal
The two new additions to Autoglym here are the Pre and Post Wash stages. They’ve always had Car Shampoo available. Autoglym has designed all three to be applied via a snow foam lance and a pressure washer. Buying all three at once, and using the recommended dilution ratios it’ll last you approximately 25 applications.
What is needed to use the Autoglym Polar Series?
You’ll need a pressure washer and a snow foam lance. You can either pick up a snow foam lance from Amazon (or equivalent) for around £25. You want to avoid the super cheap ones because they don’t always produce consistent flow and the actual bottles tend to be of poor quality. Another alternative you have is the snow foam lance provided by Autoglym. So this means you can purchase everything you need from Autoglym – perfect! The great thing, is you don’t need the Autoglym version of the snow foam lance to use these which tells me they’re attempting to help you, the customer, on your detailing journey.
Equipment: Autoglym Polar Blaster
What’s great about this lance is Autoglym have already done the quality control on this snow foam lance. You’ll also find markings on the lance itself reminding you of the dilution ratios which is quite a cool addition to it. This, of course, can be used with other Snow Foams so it isn’t limited to just Autoglym products – just make sure you rinse thoroughly every time you use it!
If you do not have a pressure washer, the Kärcher K4 Full Control Pressure Washer is an excellent purchase.
Stage One Pre Wash: Autoglym Polar Blast
We’ve already spoken about the Autoglym Polar Blast over here in our Best Snow Foam article. To give you a quick summary the idea behind the pre-wash stage is to allow the snow foam to be released from your pressure washer and snow foam lance. By applying it in your car, it’ll cover it with a foam (sometimes these can be thin or thick coats). You leave the snow foam to dwell for 5-10 minutes and then pressure rinse off. The idea being that, that stage will remove the vast majority of any dust on the vehicle to reduce the chance of scratches.
The Autoglym Polar Blast is PH Neutral, meaning it will not remove any pre-existing protection you have on your vehicle which is good for maintenance washes – you don’t want to be going round in circles each time you wash your car. I found the Autoglym Polar Seal not to be that thick in terms of shaving foam production, but it did cling ok and clung to the car for 5-10 minutes. As with all snow foam applications, never apply it to a car that is hot!
Application
Tips
- Do not apply to a hot car.
- Use the recommended ratios – it’s more than enough and will keep things as simple as possible.
- Do not be tempted to use more product – this could quite easily leave a thick residue on your car and be a pain to get rid of.
- Use a quality snow foam lance, these are usually at least £25. This MTM Foam cannon is regarded as one of the best. You could purchase the Autoglym Snow Foam lance mentioned above.
- Fill the snow foam lance with hot water from a tap. For some reason, I noticed the snow foam mixes better with a warm bottle in the lance.
- Apply to the car straight away – do not pre-soak your car. The idea here is to let the snow foam cling to dirt and to let it do the work for you.
Stage Two Wash: Autoglym Polar Wash
As mentioned, Autoglym has been in the car shampoo game for a while. This car shampoo is a little different though because the entire Polar Series is meant to be applied through the snow foam lance. So after you’ve completed Stage One you’ll need to rinse it and then fill it up with the Autoglym Polar Wash shampoo. We mentioned in our Best Snow Foam article about Adam’s Shampoo that can be used as both a snow foam and shampoo – well this is Autoglyms production of a dedicated shampoo that can be applied through a snow foam lance.
The great idea behind this is that it provides so much extra lubrication when you’re washing your car with the two bucket method. I still placed a little amount in the wash bucket in combination with the car being fully coated and it makes for quite the pleasant washing experience. There is something about the car being coated with foam/bubbles that gives you that extra sense of security in terms of scratches – it also feels like you’re really giving the car a good wash.
Application
Tips
- Use a two bucket method even though it isn’t exactly stated. It’s a shampoo through a foam lance at the end of the day and scratches could still happen so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
- Make sure you have read our car detailing guide for equipment recommendations – but it should go without saying make sure you’re using a decent wash mitt.
Stage Three Seal: Autoglym Polar Seal
Once you’ve cleaned the car it’s time to add some protection, and that’s where the innovative Autoglym Polar Seal comes in. With this method, gone are the days of applying wax by hand such as their Autoglym Ultra HD Wax which we reviewed here and in comes a simple technique. Obviously, the Polar Seal will not last as long as the Autoglym Ultra HD Wax but it comes with being easier to do meaning each car wash you could apply it so it trumps it in being able to apply it consistently.
The idea here is pretty straight forward. Rinse your car from the shampoo left by the Autoglym Polar Wash. Rinse your snow foam lance, and insert the Polar Seal into the snow foam lance. You need to coat the entire car just as if you were snow foaming it. Once that is done, it is very important to remember to then detach the snow foam lance and essentially jet off any residue.
This will help to activate the product due to the pressure on the panels and help distribute it across the panels evenly and even down areas such as door jams where the water will manage to navigate to. It is such a fast process, and it makes protecting your car very easy. You’ll notice the hydrophobic coating – you get immediate satisfaction that it’s working. It also adds a nice depth of gloss to your paint.
Finally, you’ll need to dry the car and hopefully, our article on the best car drying towels will help you. Using your microfibre towel, you can choose to wipe or dab the panels dry which will be surprisingly easy to do because it has just been coated so hardly any water will stick to the panels.
Application
Tips
- Do not apply this in the sun or if the panels are warm.
- Do not deviate from the recommended dilution ratios – this could damage your paintwork and give you a real headache.
- Similarly, make sure you rinse as soon as possible – this is not a product you need to leave to dwell on the paintwork. Spray it on and blast it off as soon as possible.
Common/Frequently Asked Questions
Is Autoglym Polar Blast any good? What is the best snow foam?
Yes. It sits up there with the other snow foam offers such as Bilt Hamber Auto Foam, Autobrite Snow Foam, Auto Finesse Avalance and Adam’s Shampoo. We’ve done a roundup buyers guide which you can read here for more information.
Is it worth using snow foam?
Yes. I have found it removes a substantial amount of dirt and in all honestly doesn’t take that much longer to implement in your wash.
Can I use snow foam in my Karcher?
Yes, you can use a Karcher to deliver snow foam, providing you have a snow foam lance.
Do you rinse the car before snow foam?
As we’ve mentioned you do not rinse the car before snow foam. The idea is to soak the dirt and soften it for you to then pressure wash it off.
Is snow foam bad for paint? Does snow foam remove wax? How long do you leave snow foam on?
Snow foam does not damage paint itself. At worst you could mix it too strong which may mean the stripping of waxes/sealants and residue left on the paint which can be hard to remove and in worst cases may need you to result in using a polishing machine if you’ve let it dry/washed on a hot day. This is very rare though and this is why you must follow the manufacturer instructions.
Conclusion
Overall, I am quite impressed with these three products. For me, what they bring is convenience and they are excellent so someone just getting into car detailing. Buy three items, and they’ll last you 25 applications. Sometimes in the car detailing world, you can get sucked in by the marketing and before you know it you’ll end up having about 12 shampoos, 6 types of sealant, 10 snow foams all half full because you’re jumping onto the latest trend. Which don’t get me wrong, isn’t all bad but sometimes it’s nice to just pull three items on a consistent basis – especially in those cold winter months where the car just needs to get done.